M.Sc. Business Mathematics
Overall Goals
The main goals of the M.Sc. Business Mathematics program are to enable students to successfully do research in mathematics and to prepare them for work in quantitative fields. Particular emphasis is put on teaching mathematical optimization, stochastics and economics. The program focuses on training in modern mathematical methods, to ensure that student learning is relevant and valuable. Additionally, the program provides quality language and communication skills, qualifying graduates for the international job market and for successful cooperation with research groups in foreign countries.
Content and Structure
The mathematics courses (referred to as modules) in the M.Sc. Business Mathematics program are taught in English. Students can freely choose among a wide variety of mathematics modules which ultimately fulfill a general framework. Beyond that, they choose one area of specialization for the economics portion of the program. A total of 120 ECTS credits must be collected according to the following subcategories:
- 18-33 ECTS credits in mathematical optimization and stochastics
- 9-24 ECTS credits in further areas of mathematics
- 30 ECTS credits in one area of specialization in economics
- 30 ECTS credits for the master thesis
- 18 ECTS credits in a minor subject and general key qualifications (ASQ)
International students who choose either “Innovation and Change” and “Economics and Strategy” as an area of specialization, and who do not already have knowledge of German of at least an advanced CEFR level A2 are required to choose “German as a foreign language” as their minor subject. They can collect all 18 ECTS credits required for their minor subject by attending German language classes.
The areas of specialization in economics are:
- Innovation and Change
- Economics and Strategy
- Financial Risk
- Management Science
- Accounting, Taxation and Capital Markets
- Marketing Management
You can find more details in our study guide (download pdfpdf, 1 mb).
Requirements for the Application
In order to apply for the M.Sc. Mathematics program, the following are required:
- skills in pure and applied mathematics on the level of a full B.Sc. degree in mathematics passed with grades highly above the international average (B.Sc. grade at least 2.5 in German system)
- knowledge of English of at least CEFR level B2, which may be evaluated by means of an application interview. Students from native English speaking countries do not require proof.
- knowledge of at least one higher programming language
Knowledge of German is not an initial requirement for students who choose “Innovation and Change” or “Economics and Strategy” as their area of specialization. These students can learn German during the program and thereby collect up to 18 ECTS credits as a minor subject. If a student wishes to choose one of the other areas of specialization, the student is required to take and pass the DSH2 examination, thereby verifying that their knowledge of German is sufficient.